1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to shielded electrical connectors for use with multiconductor shielded electrical cables.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Multiconductor cables used to interconnect electronic equipment must frequently be shielded against electromagnetic interference. Cables carrying digital signals, between a computer and a piece of equipment under computer control, for example, often radiate undesirable signals that can interfere with other equipment as well as radio communications. This radiation can be reduced significantly by covering the cable with a braided wire shield which is grounded to the enclosures of the pieces of equipment to which the cable is connected. Similarly, cables interconnecting some electronic instruments can act as antennas that pick up unwanted electromagnetic signals, and shielded cables are used to protect against such unwanted interference.
Multipin plugs are usually attached at each end of a multiconductor cable and mate with multipin receptacles on the electronic equipment. In order for the shielding against electromagnetic interference to be complete, it is usually necessary to enclose the connectors and the end portions of the cables in a shielded connector housing. These prior art connector housings usually comprise a large number of components and require a relatively large amount of time to attach to a cable and connector. In some of these prior art housings, the cable shield must be soldered to a portion of the connector housing and portions of the housing may also be soldered together to provide a complete shield, making the assembly difficult to repair later on.
Another feature provided by many prior art connector housings is strain relief for the cable where it enters the housing. Often strain relief is provided by a complex collar and clamp mechanism attached to the housing. One disadvantage of some commonly available clamps is that they tend to squash the cable rather than clamping it uniformly about its periphery.